[GSBN] Astonishing Soil (was re: Creative, open minded soil engineer in California)

[RWT]

 On Friday, April 27, 2018, 4:29:32 p.m.
 Art Ludwig-Oasis Design <oasis at oasisdesign.net> wrote:
<snip>
> We?re looking to build without over excavating and compacting
> The quality of the soil is astonishing; it is perfect for growing things and > we don?t want to  mess it up. 
I'm neither a soil engineer nor in California and I suspect that my mind is probably more constipated than it is open but my (knee) jerk reaction to this query was to say
 "Don't (build on that site)", 
 ... as the best way to not mess up the astonishing soil -- (speaking as one who built his home on the exposed Canadian Shield bedrock portion of the site and brought in hundreds of tri-axle loads of clay fill and organic matter to build up a soil overburden in which to plant large caliper rescued trees, shrubbery, flower & vegetable garden etc. , which perhaps goes a long way to explaining my lust for good dirt). 
But "not building" would likely not be an option in this case since someone probably paid a $bazillion$ for the property with an eye to building a home on it.
The second (elbow ?) reaction was to say
 "What about doing an earth sheltered or underground design ?" 
 ... which would seem to make a lot of sense in Khalifohnia where the landscape has been known to burst into flames and/or shake & jump around so much that above-grade buildings can fly apart and/or collapse.    
And I suspect that taking advantage of the infinite thermal mass of the earth wouldn't hurt to keep space cooling requirements to a minimum.
I also wondered  if the CA Building Code would allow for the structure to be built like a chicken coop , where the chickens' shelter sits on skis like a Qamutiq  (aka "dogsled" en anglais) and can be dragged to a new spot every now and then, leaving a patch of newly-fertilised soil behind.
But enough of this MooseHugger sticking his ignorant-about-building-in-California nose where it doesn't belong.
Thengya. Thengyallverramuch.Stronzo di Nord.


  
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